Ten dollars buys shopping spree

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Lisa Phillips' subdued weekend was shattered in the best possible way.

The Hawera mother of two won 10,000 Bizlink dollars from the business association's annual "Buy Local" competition which was drawn on Saturday.

"We were just about to head out to netball when we got the call," Phillips said.

"Then wow, it just blew me away."

Spending just $10 in one of the participating shops during July saw her name plucked from 40,000 entries.

"We must have been very, very lucky. It's a lot to take in, it's a lot to think about."

Phillips said while ideas on how to spend the money were coming in thick and fast, she would sit down with her family to plan their spending spree.

"‘It's not something we want to rush into, but the kids have big plans.

"They have already sorted out whose birthday is coming up first."

Phillips said while she planned to support as many Hawera businesses as possible, she hoped to repay the favour to the store where she spent the lucky $10.

"There were a lot of businesses involved in this and we want to make the best use of the windfall that we have got.

"We have some really good friends, but after this we might have a few more."

Bizlink co-ordinator Rangi Coleman said there were a record number of entries again this year, with 125 businesses and retailers taking part.

"Put into dollar amounts, at the minimum spend of $10 per entry there was approximately $400,000 spent during the month of July," he said. "The success of the campaign can be attributed to the support and enthusiasm of the public and also the association's members who once again got behind it in record numbers."